darker_london | Togetherness (Joe, Jordan) (Reply)

Jordan found Joe sitting on their bed with his head in his hands. His hair was sticking out from between his fingers, and he looked beyond miserable. And it was little wonder why. He had lost his job for doing the right thing, and they didn't even have the resources to fight back. And now they might lose their home, and Joe felt like a failure. Jordan knew he was anything but. Slowly she walked over to sit beside him and she rested a hand against his back.

Joe lifted his face up so she could see him, rubbing weariness from his eyes before giving her a miserable look. "Hi."

"Oh, Joseph." Jordan leaned forward to kiss his temple. "Everything is going to be okay."

Joe let out a bitter chuckle and then he shook his head. "Jordan, I'm so sorry. I...I never wanted to fail you."

"Joe." Jordan wrapped her arms around her husband and she kissed his shoulder. "Oh, Joseph, you could never fail me. I don't have a job either. And I can't get one. This family isn't your responsibility alone. We've been through so much in a year and a half, and I think we're doing pretty damn well."

"Jordan, our house is about to be repossessed..."

"But we're all alive. We're all together. We're all healthy and happy. Joe, it's just a house."

"How healthy and happy are we going to be in a shelter or some public housing commission." Joe wailed, burying his head in his hands again. Though it was better than being on the streets, though they could be that too if there wasn't room in a shelter. He could end up separated from his wife, daughter and granddaughter if they were forced to stay in different places because of gender. That happened sometimes. They would be part of the system then. Whim to whatever the system chose to do with them.

"Joe, you know your family won't let that happen. We might have to sleep on some sofas, and that's okay. This isn't something you should feel ashamed about. It happens to people all the time, unfortunately. This is a confluence of events we had no control over. Joe, I am not ashamed of you. I'm proud of you."

"Proud?" Joe cast an incredulous look her way. "How can you possibly be proud of me."

"Because I love you." Jordan reached out to push his hair out of his eyes. "I love you just as much as I did the day I married you. More, even. I love the person you are. I love our children and our life together. I love our granddaughter. And none of that has anything to do with money or this house. You are a rock for this family. You're my hero. And you always will be." Jordan leaned forward and she kissed the corner of his mouth, which, despite himself, curled into a half-smile.

"I suppose that's a fairly convincing argument..."

"You bet it is, Buster." Jordan grinned at him. "We'll be alright, Joe. We'll think of something. It doesn't matter where we are, as long as we're together. We can think about it tomorrow." Jordan moved her body so she was sitting in his lap. "I'm going to distract you."

"I don't deserve sex!" Joe cried out, but this time he was kidding. And he proved that by giving her a goofy grin.

"You're getting it anyway." Jordan leaned forward and she kissed his nose before relieving him of his shirt.